Awnings
Hallo everybody. I have a little Lunar Ariva and want to buy an awning - any suggestions from experience please for an easy to put up, practical awning for a solo caravanner ? Inflatable seem the way to go ? As per usual there's so much choice Thank you
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Hi Amanda. Welcome to CT. I think that you will get better responses to your question if you post it in the Parts and Accessories section.
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Hi Amanda
Welcome along.
We are former Lunar Ariva owners and very happy we were with our little van. Easy to tow and push around.
Awnings are a minefield. We used to use a Kampa 200 porch awning, not inflatable, but lightweight and easy to erect, although there was usually 2 of us doing it. I have put it up myself on a couple of occasions.
If this is your first taste of touring you shouldn't have any problems with the Lunar. It served us well for about 7 years.
Good luck and happy touring.
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Like many forum members I've had many and still own several awnings. Air awnings are good as they eliminate the chance of damage to the van side due to falling poles. They are not much quicker to erect but are far quicker to take down. Unfortunately they are heavy to manhandle into an awning track by yourself and this can be a pain.
I would advise a very close hands on approach at a dealers once things open up. As a solo camper do you need a full size awning. Would a smaller/porch awning of traditional frame structure be easier? Could you get away with the likes of a Sunncamp Swift. This is a lightweight open fronted tunnel type affair with one hoop pole. I can safely fit one of these by myself. They also do a model with a zip in front.
Colin
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I would also recommend looking at the Sunncamp Swift. We bought a 220 a few years ago and don't use it much now, having bought two air awnings - but it was only £85 so it doesn't owe me much! Two upright poles and a fibreglass 'hoop' across the top - nothing touching the van - so no danger of damage in high winds. Very light and easy to put up, and more importantly very easy to dry if it has to be packed away wet. We've actually had 4 people sitting around a table in it so, although small it's big enough.
I think the Sunncamp range are very good value (we also have an Air 390) - well made, waterproof and durable.
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Hi, We have both full and porch awnings, Isabella, but been looking for something that is quick and easy to erect for stays of just a couple of nights or so.
After looking at a few options, sun shade, roll out canopy etc have decided that the Sunncamp Swift canopy is the one to go for, as mentioned above.
We accept that as it sits clear of the ground it will not give the degree of shelter an awning will, so if you intend it as an extension of the van a conventional porch awning may be better.
As we just want some shelter at the door and some shade for those, hopefully many, sunny days it’s ideal and it’s the design, with a lot less pegging that makes it quick to set up.
My research, OK Google’s, shows that the smallest, a 200, can be as little as £95 and this would seem ideal for your Arriva.
Saw this at Leisure Outlet and they have a wide range so may give you more ideas.
Good luck!
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"We accept that as it sits clear of the ground it will not give the degree of shelter an awning will, so if you intend it as an extension of the van a conventional porch awning may be better."
A&J - I think the new ones now have a mud flap that pegs down so that the wind can't get underneath it as it does with our older 220. Our new(ish) Air 390 certainly has that arrangement and looking at the pics on-line, they seem to have extended that idea across the range.
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Shame if they have altered the design, although the latest on-line pictures I can find show it is unchanged. Other Sunncamp models including the Vareo, which is a fronted version do go down to the ground.. The combination of open front, no draught-skirt and the gap between fabric and grounds means chances of the awning catching the wind are vastly reduced. Ours has withstood storm force winds when others with conventional 4 frame awnings had to take them down.
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Not sure what model I have, but like the others above I got a Sunncamp porch awning, and it was one of my best purchases. I got it secondhand from a careful owner and it is still going 3 years later. It has a single airbeam and takes about 15mins to put up on my own. It isnt heavy for me and I think i'm pretty weak, I found my poled awning and vango air awning too diffcult alone as they were super heavy. It probably isnt the best quality but hasnt failed me so far, and mine sits on the floor fine.
Worth a look on gumtree I got mine for £100 on there
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Re Sunncamp canopy, my comment related to the Swift which comes in 4 sizes and none of which, according to the Sunncamp website, have an "External peggable mud wall".
There are quite a few available on various selling sites and I must admit to having to keep reminding me of the KISS principle as I think the basic 200 Swift would be adequate for what we need, weather protection at the door for 2-3 days max, but find myself being tempted by larger and/or air frame ones!
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